


Why didn't anyone pick this up?

by tlcroft



Category: Airwolf
Genre: Late Night Conversations, M/M, definite AU, discussion of divorce stereotypes/problems
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-19
Updated: 2020-12-19
Packaged: 2021-03-10 17:01:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 746
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28160565
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tlcroft/pseuds/tlcroft
Summary: Michael found it hard to believe that no one knew an important viralogest was missing...
Relationships: Michael Coldsmith Briggs III & Stringfellow Hawke
Comments: 2





	Why didn't anyone pick this up?

"You really overdid it this time, Michael," Stringfellow Hawke shook his head as he settled the contour pillow under his husband's bad knee. Swollen so badly they'd nearly had to cut Michael's pants off, it looked bruised in the light from the bedside lamp. It actually wasn't but it felt even worse than when he'd had the original surgery.

"And I can't believe they let you fly with a severe concussion," Michael retorted, hurting too much to censor his words or tone. He knew the emotional toll returning to Southeast Asia had to take on his often fragile husband and normally would have gone out of his way to make things easier for the younger man. String had left a stillborn child behind when he came home from the hell pit Southeast Asia still remained even after Korea and Cambodia/Vietnam. A child conceived in rape like the child California Children's Services had taken from String at sixteen. So young and innocent when sexual violence tore apart his life; String still longed for the child he'd had taken from him.

"I wasn't going to stay in Laos any longer than I had to." His intense blue eyes too big for his angular features, String settled against Michael's side. Gently Michael stroked back his thick, honey colored hair, trying to sooth him to sleep before he started to cry. "Besides, I had to get the copter back to Dom. Rick and AJ only rented it for a week."

"And just how did they expect to find a missing scientest in just a week in Southeast Asia?"

String snickered. "They could only afford a week's rental so..."

Michael shook his head. The Simon brothers were good for his Hawke. Rick was also a veteran of Southeast Asia while the more mild mannered AJ soothed both men with just his presence. "A wing and a prayer huh? And why did they think Peter Strickland wasn't just another deadbeat dad?"

"He loved his son," String answered, settling closer as Michael held him. "According to his ex wife, he never missed a child support payment, a visitation or anything Sam had going on in school, including parent/teacher conferences. Then six months ago he walked out of the Sequor Labs and just...vanished. Jean Strickland didn't even know he was missing for three months cause the child support kept coming until his bank account was empty."

"And Children's Services didn't bother to look for him since it had been three months," Michael held back a curse with effort. "And no one in Intelligence noticed he was gone until the Simons went looking for him. No wonder Zeus is tearing through Dupont Circle."

"At least he isn't blaming you," String smiled against his lover's chest. Michael was so good to him; he didn't care that String wasn't stable emotionally or mentally. He just loved the younger man and their daughter with everything in him. Even when it meant going against his Director. "We were lucky to find him so fast."

Michael agreed. Rick and String still had contacts 'in country' that had passed along the story of a yellow haired man being hauled to a Khymir Rouge stronghold deep in the mountains between Laos and Cambodia. Given the Khymir Rouge's recent interest in biological weapons and Dr. Strickland's specialization in highly infectious viruses, the three men quickly traced the stories back to the northern highlands, then broke Dr. Strickland out before Rick and String laid waste to the labs they found. AJ Simon was on crutches and String had a head injury when they finally headed home but both men counted it a small price to pay for destroying yet another attempt at remaking the world by force and, more importantly, getting a father home to his son.

"I get the feeling Dr. Strickland is going to have a bodyguard from now on whether he likes it or not," Michael finally said when String was nearly asleep. 

"I get the feeling he won't be the only one," String answered, propping himself up on one arm. "Now, if only Intelligence doesn't go hog wild and haul every infectious desease specialist into protective custody just to keep them out of harm's way."

Michael snorted. "There's times I think Intelligence needs some intelligence."

"Won't get an argument from me," String agreed with a yawn, snuggling closer to the older man and soon they were both asleep. Morning would be soon enough to sort things out.

**Author's Note:**

> This came from an ongoing discussion of trying to find deadbeat dads and how many just drop off the radar and are not tracked down. Originally the scientest was a woman but a man just fit this better. As always, just let me know what you think; I'd love to hear from you.


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